The Olinda Portuguese Language School results from the dreams and hard work of two instructors of Portuguese for international students, who together have more than seven years of professional experience in the business. This dream comes from two friends who have always tried to provide a complete experience for their students, offering above all, a close encounter between students and authentic Brazilian culture, and not only introducing students to conventional commercial activity and tourist attractions, but also experiencing day to day life with their students, as integral presences in their lives.

To offer quality and accuracy in the instruction of Portuguese for international students, with an emphasis on Brazilian culture, through objective and transparent means, and by creating an educational environment based on trust and community, the Olinda Portuguese Language School stakes itself on its human assets. All instructors are native Portuguese speakers with fluency in English and Spanish. They are university graduates, with expertise in Portuguese Language instruction for speakers of other languages. Instructors also utilize their own methods and materials, as well as a wide range of techniques in order to engage diverse student groups of all ages.

The Olinda Portuguese Language School is located in the city of Olinda, Pernambuco, a city known for its rich cultural significance, and also for hosting one of the largest Carnival celebrations in Brazil. With a great number of hotels, bars and restaurants, the city offers both entertainment and safety. Olinda boasts a full cultural calendar year-round, with many events in music, art, crafts, and folklore. The nightlife of Olinda is also rich and lively. We are only 10 minutes away from the city of Recife, which amplifies students’ possibilities for amusement, culture, knowledge and relaxation.

The amenities of the Olinda Portuguese Language School make it one of a kind. We have comfortable climate-controlled classrooms, a reading room, a small auditorium with a 30-person capacity, an Internet room, a wireless zone, a break room, and a large kitchen for student use or for use during cultural classes on Brazilian cuisine. Besides this, we have free space where students can relax and get to know each other.

Classes can be held in traditional classrooms, the auditorium, the kitchen (for Brazilian cuisine classes), or even outside of the school so that students have meaningful encounters with local customs and experiences. The focus of our program is on grammatically correct communication. Classes are casual, with the frequent use of audio material, video, texts, conversations, and workbook exercises, in addition to other fun activities meant to facilitate learning.

We hope to provide an engaging environment that promotes constant interaction between students and instructors through cultural activities, parties, excursions, soccer, music and the human warmth of our team. We rely on a group of families prepared to receive students and to foster a satisfying cultural exchange experience, along with greater exposure to the Portuguese language.

We are located in one of the most beautiful cities of Brazil, hoping you come to participate in this dream, and make it more alive and real every day.

About Olinda, Pernambuco

Olinda is rich in history, architecture and traditions with a genuine Brazilian appeal. You will appreciate its pedestrian streets, excellent restaurants, numerous cafes and virtually unblemished antiquated buildings. Olinda has grown enormously in stature in the last few years and has been highly recommended for fun, night life and glamour. It is a mainstream venue for international events for the global business and financial community.

Olinda is a Brazilian municipality in the state of Pernambuco, which is located in the metropolitan region of Recife, and is one of the most well preserved colonial cities in Brazil. It was the second Brazilian city to be declared a Historical and Cultural Heritage Site of Humanity by UNESCO in 1982. Olinda is a very special city, and whoever visits it will understand what this means, far beyond the city’s beautiful colored houses and hills. A wonderful example of what the historic city of Olinda has to offer is its extensive calendar of events throughout the year, with cultural events such as crafts fairs, and celebrations of reggae, samba, maracatu, and afoxé. There are also more intimate happenings within bars, restaurants, and clubs, which have literary nights, delicious food, live music and more. And, there are other places along the coast where people gather in crowds every night. All of these examples demonstrate that Olinda is a versatile city, and that you can find here whatever it is that you are looking for.

In addition to these attractions, Olinda is famous for having the most amazing Carnival in Brazil. It is important to remember that this is the most important celebration in Brazil, and in Olinda, it is held to the sound of frevo, maracatu and other original rhythms of Pernambuco. There are crowds of carnival-goers, who group according to different themes, and parade through the city streets, accompanied by frevo orchestras, maracatu groups, and oversized puppets that pass through the entire city, making it even more animated. Motivated by various intentions, many people wear strange costumes, in order to draw attention, make a social critique, or simply make people laugh.

Olinda has a special location because it neighbors the city of Recife, which is the capital of Pernambuco. It is possible to travel between Olinda and Recife in a matter of minutes, and because of this, one can take advantage of Recife’s rich cultural life in order to enjoy even more diverse opportunities for entertainment, relaxation and culture.

Lastly, there is a popular myth which suggests that the name “Olinda” had its origin in a supposed exclamation made by a Portuguese aristocrat, Duarte Coelho, the first recipient of the captaincy of Pernambuco, upon viewing the landscape: “Oh, linda situação para se construir uma vila!” (“Oh, what a beautiful place to build a town!”)

Olinda has grown enormously in stature in the last few years and has been highly recommended for fun, night life and glamour. It is a mainstream venue for international events for the global business and financial community. Olinda has cafes and restaurants for all tastes and budgets. The town is the most touristy place in Pernambuco so you will find anything you are looking for including internationally-recognized fast food shops. Be careful with where you eat. Facilities lacking in bathroom or bathroom cleanliness suggest a higher probability of food poisoning. Avoid cold salad, fresh vegetables, and undercooked meat. Street ice cream carts are common through the city and popular with the locals, but of are unknown safety for sensitive stomachs.

As one of the major Brazilian cities, Olinda is the ideal city in Brazil to enjoy everything it has to offer!! Today, the Olindan people are overwhelmingly bilingual. It is rare to meet an Olinda resident who is not fluent in her or his native tongue as well as another language. Needless to say, in enterprises that involve expatriate staff or international transactions, English, Portuguese, Spanish and other languages are widely used.

Discover and explore Olinda and its surroundings. You will know places that go beyond your imagination. We invite our clients to count on Olinda Portuguese Language School as a reliable resource for information and advice. Our staff is comprised largely of native Olinda residents who are more than familiar with their city and well-acquainted with the necessary adjustments involved with settling into Olinda’s cultural environment. The staff at Olinda Portuguese Language School also arranges numerous excursions throughout the week.

Quick Facts

Pros

• Downtown location and professional facilities well suited to post college age adults.

• Cosmopolitan city with high standard of living.

• Ability to obtain US academic credit.

• Combine Study in Buenos Aires with study in Cordoba or Patagonia.

• US Dollar and Euro are currently strong against the Argentine peso; making it a very inexpensive time to visit Argentina.

Cons

• Some homestays are located up to 45 minutes travel time away from school.